Summer in Chile: December to February

Travelling to Chile between December and February places you firmly in the country’s summer — a season of long days, open landscapes and a noticeable lift in energy. It’s the most popular time to visit, particularly for travellers drawn to the south, and it feels very different in character from the quieter spring months.

With longer days and warmer weather come greater visitor numbers in the more well-known places towards the end of December and through into February. As always, it pays to plan ahead carefully.

If you're thinking about calling in at some of Patagonia's more famous natural wonders in peak summer, get in early and pick your spots. Some 300,000 people tread their way around the trails of Torres del Paine each year, and the vast majority fetch up here during January and February. Pathways can become clogged, viewpoints crowded. That sense of open space, wilderness and majesty that we love about this great national park? Harder to come by.

Our approach can look quite different to the standard way of navigating Patagonia's iconic sights. By providing you with your own 4x4 on a fully supported self-drive holiday, we aim to get you into the quieter parts of the park and its surrounding areas – where the guanacos still outnumber the visitors.

Crowds are rarely an issue along the ever-changing landscapes of Chile's Carretera Austral. The national parks strung out along this southern highway are wonderful places to be in these months. From the cool rainforests of the north, down through high glacial lagoons, rewilded grasslands, flourishing turquoise rivers and into the great icefields – this is Patagonia at its most wild, varied and remote. Why would we send you anywhere else?

One clear advantage of being in Patagonia in summer: the long evenings. It doesn't get dark until around 9.30pm, which means dinner is often interrupted by the need to rush outside and catch the last sun on the mountains, or the ever-changing cloud formations in soft pinks and oranges. Not a bad reason to abandon your plate.

It's the same deal around the Lake District - long days, reliable weather and crowds in a few famous hotspots. This is the best time for lake-based activities — swimming, kayaking and boat trips across Lago Llanquihue and nearby waters are all popular. Hiking trails in national parks such as Vicente Pérez Rosales are fully open, with clear paths and reliable access to waterfalls, forests and viewpoints.

Around Pucón, summer suits more active pursuits: climbing or trekking on Villarrica Volcano (conditions permitting), rafting, and longer day hikes in the surrounding parks. As specialist operators like Pura Aventura note, summer reliability makes it easier to combine several outdoor experiences without having to build in too much contingency time.

The season also complements the region’s cultural side. German-influenced towns like Frutillar are at their most attractive now, with music events, lakeside walks and a relaxed pace that rewards lingering rather than rushing.

Summer works especially well for wine regions. Vineyards are fully leafed, tastings move outdoors, and cellar doors often combine visits with long lunches under shade. While harvest still lies a few months away, the atmosphere is relaxed and unhurried.

In Santiago, the season favours neighbourhood exploration rather than midday sightseeing. Early mornings and evenings are ideal for markets, parks and historic quarters, while the Andes remain a constant presence, often visible in crisp detail on clear days.

The coast becomes a natural counterpoint to the heat. Valparaíso’s hills, street art and historic funiculars are lively year-round, while nearby beaches draw both day-trippers and longer stays.

Summer suits the Atacama's early-morning and late-afternoon rhythm. Geysers at El Tatio are best visited at dawn, when steam rises into cold air, while salt flats, lagoons and desert valleys come into their own as the light softens later in the day. The middle hours? Find some shade and wait it out.

Evenings belong to the sky. Clear nights, minimal light pollution and dry air make astronomy tours particularly memorable – properly dark skies, properly spectacular.

Packing for summer is simpler than in spring, but still benefits from variety. Light clothing works well in the centre and north, while evenings and southern regions call for warmer layers and proper wind protection. Sun is strong across the country, and shade can be limited in deserts and open landscapes. Don't underestimate it.

December through February shows Chile at its most accessible and outward-facing. It's a season of clarity rather than transition – ideal if you want maximum choice, long days and fully open routes, and you don't mind sharing those rewards with others who've chosen the same moment, and the same place, to arrive.